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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rule — government
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — music
  6. season — in sport
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in biology
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. season — of the year
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com